Fatah MP: For diplomatic reasons Abbas condemned synagogue massacre

Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
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Nov 23, 2014

Fatah MP: For diplomatic reasons

Abbas condemned synagogue massacre

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

A Fatah MP is the latest Palestinian official to explain that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ condemnation of the terror attack that killed 5 in a Jerusalem synagogue was for diplomatic purposes. She explained that Abbas’ Fatah movement “justified the statements of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned the Jerusalem operation. Fatah member of PA Parliament Najat Abu-Bakr said that those statements were made "within a diplomatic context... [he] is forced to speak this way to the world.” [Quds Net News Agency, Nov.19, 2014]

This follows a video posted on Fatah’s Facebook page of Yasser Arafat’s bodyguard saying that Arafat lied when he condemned terror, explaining that Arafat was forced to do so for diplomatic reasons. Fatah wrote that the video - which was taken from the Palestinian Media Watchwebsite and included PMW subtitles - explains why Abbas condemned the synagogue massacre.

Another senior Palestinian official from Abbas’ party, Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi, likewise explained that Abbas condemned the attack only for diplomatic reasons, in an interview on Lebanese TV:

Al-Mayadeen TV host:

“Was it [diplomatic] pressure that forced the Palestinian President and the PA to take his position condemning the operation (i.e., the Jerusalem synagogue terror attack)?”

Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi:

“First of all, I represent Fatah, not the PA. Brother Mahmoud Abbas is the President of the PA, and he speaks diplomatically with diplomats, presidents and leaders, and this is the position of the PA. When I speak, I express Fatah’s position, which in part agrees with the PA’s position, and in part may disagree with it, since Fatah is a mass movement. Its task is to unite the masses, and to be present among the masses... I want to say that our brothers in the Palestinian leadership - brother Mahmoud Abbas most of all - are not acting to satisfy Israel or anyone else...First of all, we want to satisfy our people. First our God, then our people. There are diplomatic issues, international relations and relations with heads of state. These are the things Mahmoud Abbas is talking about.”

[Al-Mayadeen TV (Lebanon), Nov. 18, 2014]

The following is the statement by PA Parliament member Najat Abu-Bakr (Fatah) explaining that Abbas’ condemnation was for diplomatic reasons.

“Fatah, the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, justified the statements of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned the Jerusalem operation (i.e. the Jerusalem Synagogue massacre) yesterday. Fatah member of PA Parliament Najat Abu-Bakr said that those statements were made within a diplomatic context.

She said that President Abbas’ behavior at this time is the height of diplomacy, since he is not required to speak like everyone else, because he is responsible for the entire Palestinian people.

Abu-Bakr said today, Wednesday [Nov. 19, 2014], in an interview to Al-Quds Radio: ‘The Palestinian President is forced to speak this way to the world, (i.e. to condemn murder of four rabbis and one policeman in the Jerusalem synagogue) and these statements result from [his] responsibility for the Palestinian People.’”